The Hunt, Edward Quitton, 1889, Belgium

This realistic painting by Edward Quitton depicts a trompe-l'œil composition of three birds suspended from a rope. In the background, light wood fence panels are visible, each bearing a Belgian railway fare notice. This striking element underscores the realistic and almost objective nature of the representation, making it a perfect example of Belgian realism.

About the artist:

The Belgian artist Edward Quitton (1842-1934) was born in Brussels and received his formal training in Tournai (1856-1858) and then in Antwerp (1859-1861), where he studied under Joseph Stallaert. Although Quitton initially focused primarily on landscapes, he became best known for his realistic genre scenes and still lifes with poultry. After his studies, he settled in Manchester, England. In 1882, he exhibited a restrained still life at the Triennial Fine Arts Exhibition in Antwerp.

Two years later, he painted the famous picture *The First Love Letter*, a bourgeois and domestic family scene in which a worried couple intercepts a letter addressed to their unmarried daughter. The work is currently part of the permanent collection of the National Museum in Warsaw. In 1892, he exhibited at the renowned exhibition organized to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Ghent.

Literary references:

This work is described in the book *Antwerpen in de negentiende eeuw* (Antwerp in the 19th Century) by the Belgian writer Guillaume Beetemé, published in 1892: “Edward Quitton (1842) is distinguished in the field of still life. Who is not familiar with his groups of birds of all kinds?” So finely crafted, gathered in clusters and suspended by a thread against an oak or pine board, so lifelike that one would want to grab them.